Chapter 70
Cardinal Malediz was a stern-faced old man, with deep wrinkles between his brows and a hooked nose that suggested he was not easy to get along with.
He was indeed so authoritative within the Holy See that no one dared to contradict him, except, of course, the Pope.
Malediz reveres those who are especially favored by the Creator God.
The Tales of the Gods within the Desinia Territory reached the Holy See.
After receiving the two books, Malediz never relaxed his brow; he deeply abhorred anything or any action that might be harmful to the Holy See.
Although these are just two storybooks.
However, the descriptions are so realistic and vivid, especially the portrayals of gods and other races, that one can't help but wonder if this is an ancient history that actually existed.
Even knowing it's impossible, I still can't help but feel emotionally turbulent.
Even though he clearly loathed it, he couldn't help but keep flipping through the pages until he reached the last page...
Malediz frowned even deeper, somewhat disgusted by the exquisitely detailed paintings of the fallen Giants: "That's it?"
Archbishop Paul: "Yes, so far only these two books of the Tales of the Gods have been sold through the Thorn Merchant Guild. The third one seems to be unfinished..."
Before he could finish speaking, the cardinal stood up.
Paul asked in confusion, "Sir...?"
Malediz: "Such a threat to the authority of the Holy See must be destroyed!"
"Even the authors of these two books must not be let off easily; the authority of the Holy See cannot be violated!"
The old man had a serious expression and an imposing presence.
Paul pressed his right hand to his chest and bowed respectfully. "Yes, you are right, so I..."... intend to obey your orders and immediately depart for the Desinia Territory to deal with this matter as soon as possible.
Malediz straightened his crimson robes, narrowed his eyes, and said, "I'll go with you to the Desinia Territory."
Paul was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head and said yes.
After leaving the Holy See, they traveled light and simply.
Malediz accompanied them, but publicly claimed that only Archbishop Paul led the group to the Desinia Territory.
Malediz hidden within the group and did not show himself.
His reasoning was. "As a cardinal, my status is too high. If I were to reveal my identity, it would likely frighten the authors of these two books and cause them to flee."
"So you'll be in charge of showing up the whole way."
"After entering the Desinia Territory, we must first conceal our identities and find that young lord."
"Yes, sir." Paul nodded.
They traveled by ship from the Saint Airo Empire to the port, and then bought a carriage to travel towards Visas.
However, when passing through Komoy Fort, they had to stop and take a look.
Paul's ability to become the Archbishop of the Saint Church at such a young age was not only due to his noble status as a nobleman of the Saint Airo Empire, but also to his erudition and piety towards the Creator God.
Honesty, methodicalness, and composure are qualities that Malediz admires most.
But now...
Malediz snapped out of his surprise and saw Paul staring blankly at the city, and shook his head in disdain.
Such composure still needs to be cultivated.
"Cough..."
Malediz lightly, his fist clenched, finally bringing Paul back to his senses.
But his eyes couldn't help but linger on a woman wearing a bright green floral print dress—the vibrant and refreshing color made her look even more lively and adorable. The fitted dress accentuated her beautiful waistline, and the neckline and chest were decorated with overlapping dark green lace, making her exceptionally pretty and eye-catching.
Paul couldn't help but show an expression of amazement.
The young woman noticed, covered her mouth shyly and smiled, gave her a sidelong glance, and then turned and left.
Because Paul was dressed in ordinary clothes, she was unaware that the man in front of her was actually an archbishop from the Saint Church.
Malediz glared at Paul and lowered his voice. "Aren't you leaving?!"
Paul's ears turned red; he was ashamed of his first loss of control.
He was amazed and incredulous at the city, and also at the woman's clothing...
"I'm very sorry, Malediz," Paul said, bowing his head.
Malediz snorted and said, "Be careful next time."
"Yes."
They had assumed that once they entered Par Mountain, they would be able to meet the Lord of Desinia without any trouble.
Little did they know that soldiers were stationed at the foot of the mountain, and they had to show identification to pass through Par Mountain; otherwise, they were prohibited from passing.
Paul had already prepared fake identification—to avoid scaring away the authors of the two books on the Tales of the Gods, they disguised themselves as ordinary plantation owners.
The soldiers stationed at the foot of Par Mountain thought they were going to Visas and let them go after checking their credentials.
Paul planned to enter the northwest side of the Par Mountain from the southeast side to find the castle where the Lord of Desinia lived, but he did not expect to encounter several more checkpoints.
Paul's identification documents seemed fine at first glance, but they would not stand up to detailed questioning.
Finally, the soldiers stationed in the Par Mountain determined that Paul and his group were suspicious and immediately reported it to the two knights-in-chief who were conducting a routine inspection nearby.
Malediz was guarded by a group of soldiers holding long guns, and anger rose in his heart. He was already glaring and his stern face became even more rigid.
Concealing one's identity, striking unexpectedly, delivering a fatal blow... none of it mattered anymore.
The two highest-ranking officers of the Black-and-White Cavalry walked over together.
Malediz a deep breath and said in an authoritative voice, "I am Malediz Howard of the Saint Church, here with Archbishop Paul to visit Lord Desinia."
Ferdinand and Walker paused in their tracks.
The two handsome knights, each possessing their own unique charm, exchanged a glance. Cardinal? Archbishop?
How did they suddenly end up here from the Saint Airo Empire?!
Upon hearing this, Walker smiled and stepped forward, "Oh, it's Your Excellency Cardinal of the Holy See! Hello."
Malediz arrogantly, waiting for the knight to welcome them into the mountains.
Unexpectedly, after saying this with a smile, the knight turned to the person beside him and said, "Keep an eye on them. Ferdinand and I will go and report to the lord first."
The Pope just left, and now a cardinal and an archbishop have arrived... tsk.
Bana: "Yes, sir, don't worry!"
"What?! You stop right there... stop!"
Malediz frowned and called out to the two who kept walking, but received no response; his words were completely ignored.
Malediz was furious.
Unfortunately, he was surrounded by a ring of soldiers watching him closely, which restricted his movements, making the cardinal's face extremely sour.
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The encounter with the three large beasts in the corridor occurred when the two knight commanders returned to the castle to report.
Coalball wore a maid's headdress and shoulder ornaments, and a small apron on her chest.
Snowball wore a black feathered wide-brimmed hat over its snow-white fur, and tied a black skirt with puffy sleeves and a wide hem that covered its waist with two black ribbons tied around its broad back and neck.
Her two sturdy forelegs peek out from the slit in her skirt, and paired with her cool and arrogant gaze, she exudes a very noblewoman's air.
As for Egg Yolk, because it had thick and dense sideburns, Cyrus tied a big red bow on Egg Yolk's big head and braided the sideburns into countless pretty little braids with ribbons as thick as fingers.
The majestic Golden Lion King instantly transformed into a unique and beautiful woman.
The sheer size and ferocious aura of the three beasts create a truly overwhelming impact.
So much so that Ferdinand and Walker were stunned, their faces strange and stiff, unsure of how to react.
Walker blurted out a sentence that made Snowball's tiger ears snap back, its gaze sharpening, and its claws slowly rubbing against the thick carpet...
Sensing the hostile look in the eyes of the large, white-and-black striped tiger, Walker quickly tried to salvage the situation. "Pretty, pretty, haha..."
"Aww!"
Enraged, the snow-white tiger lunged at Walker's rear end.
"Snowball, stop biting! I have something to report to the lord!"
Walker, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, deftly dodged, only to be patted on the shoulder by Ferdinand the next moment—
The composed knight said, "It's alright, I can report to the lord by myself. You can stay here and play with Snowball for a while."
After saying that, he walked away.
Walker hurriedly reached out, crying out in despair, "No! Ferdinand, are you not a brother?!"
He's not a player; if he stays, he'll definitely be the one being played!
Fortunately, Walker eventually escaped the jaws of death and, together with Ferdinand, explained the situation in the Par Mountain to Cyrus in the study.
Ferdinand: "That cardinal said he came to visit you, lord, what are your plans...?"
Cyrus rested her chin on her hands, thought for a moment, and said, "No matter what their purpose is in coming here, since they said they are visiting, it's not appropriate to turn them away. Let them come to the castle."
"Yes, lord."
Ferdinand and Walker accepted the order and left.
When they brought Malediz and Paul back to the castle, Cyrus was pinching Egg Yolk's round ears and tying the loose red bow on it again.
Snowball closed her eyes and lay down to the side with an air of elegance, undisturbed by anything.
Upon hearing footsteps, Coalball abruptly raised its head, its piercing tiger-like eyes fixed on the sound.
Malediz was caught off guard when he stepped into the room and met the gaze of the large, ferocious beasts gathered inside, wearing strange decorations. He couldn't help but gasp, clutching his pounding chest.
Paul involuntarily took two steps back.
Cyrus stood up and walked to the sofa, extending her hand to the two of them. "Please sit down. I wonder why the cardinal and the archbishop have returned to my territory?"
Ferdinand and Walker automatically stood behind Cyrus, while Judas went to prepare warm herbal tea.
With a stern face, Malediz carefully led Paul across the predator enclosure, only letting out a sigh of relief when they finally sat down on the sofa.